


the heart has its own memories

by NoxWrites



Series: Kassandra/Daphnae [2]
Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Fluff, One Shot, lil Spoilers or smth, my usual bullshit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-07 03:12:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16400252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoxWrites/pseuds/NoxWrites
Summary: She steps away from the clothes, the girl would be angry but Kassandra can’t bring herself to do it. These pieces are earned, not stolen. Even Kassandra doesn’t deserve the one she has waiting at home, locked in a safe hidden under the floorboards. She makes her way back to the hut curtain door, stopping as she looks at a pile of letters on a wooden table.Her eyes wander the words, not caring for the content but stopping over the signature at the bottom of each. Daphnae. Daphnae. Daphnae. Daphnae. Kassandra kneels down to look at the table, pulling at the letters. Dozens of them signed by Daphnae to Kleio, the head huntress of this small village. Daphnae doesn’t seem to appreciate Kleio sympathies revolving another huntress. Her words are as if she’s torn in two.





	the heart has its own memories

**Author's Note:**

> Kassandra and Daphnae are the loves of my life. Spoilers for later content in the game but not heavy spoilers.
> 
> “Λήτω. ακολούθα.” = "Leto. Heel."

Kassandra wants to say she doesn’t know how she found herself in this situation, but she knows exactly what got her here.

 

_She stays still in the bushes; watching as a Daughter walks past, a loyal wolf at her heels. They make their way down the small hilltop, leaving the hut in front of Kassandra unoccupied and unprotected. She’s counted the rotations, timed them out, she has exactly twenty seconds before another Daughter returns to make her rounds._

 

_She dashes out of the bush, around the front of the hut and slides underneath the pelt that acts as a curtain door. She waits for the pelt to settle, for there to be no hint of her presence. With careful steps, she walks over the pelts littered on the floor of the hut. Each step is careful, making sure to put equal pressure in each step as not to disturb the beams serving as the base. She simply needs to grab the outfit for the girl on the shore and then leave._

 

_It’s with careful eyes Kassandra scans the entire room, looking for any sign of a spare outfit. Resting on the furs that make the bed is a clean and fresh outfit, Kassandra makes to grab it but her hand stalls, hovering just over the attire. The hunter outfit each Daughter is given is a sacred gift from Artemis to them. Daphnae had each piece crafted from the animals Kassandra killed, each a divine piece imbued with the power of Artemis. Each one was earned, not stolen by some mercenary for a few drachmae._

 

_Her hands lower to the clothes, brushing over the soft furs that line the outfit. Each fur feels familiar, feels like coming home. The images of nights under stars and evenings in the Temple of Artemis flood her memories. She has to bite the inside of her cheeks to keep from losing control._

 

_She steps away from the clothes, the girl would be angry but Kassandra can’t bring herself to do it. These pieces are earned, not stolen. Even Kassandra doesn’t deserve the one she has waiting at home, locked in a safe hidden under the floorboards. She makes her way back to the hut curtain door, stopping as she looks at a pile of letters on a wooden table._

 

_Her eyes wander the words, not caring for the content but stopping over the signature at the bottom of each. Daphnae. Daphnae. Daphnae. Daphnae. Kassandra kneels down to look at the table, pulling at the letters. Dozens of them signed by Daphnae to Kleio, the head huntress of this small village. Daphnae doesn’t seem to appreciate Kleio sympathies revolving another huntress. Her words are as if she’s torn in two._

 

_Kassandra lets out a sigh and puts the letters back down. She makes to leave, her hand pulling the pelt back as she leaves the hut, until a growl and a flash of black lunges into her. She shouts in agony as dozens of sharp teeth dig into her forearm, part of them gnawing into her gauntlet while the rest tear at flesh. Kassandra falls to the ground, rolling with the heavy beast on top of her. She rams her free hand into the forehead of the beast and earns a yelp of pain but it doesn’t loosen its hold on her arm._

 

 _“_ _Λήτω_ _. ακολούθα_ _.”_

 

_The beast Kassandra has been tussling with pulls off as its master calls it to heel. She gains her bearings for only a moment and then four spears are being shoved in her face. The wolf, Kassandra can see her blood staining its jaw, she just fought is still on her. Two powerful paws press into her chest as the wolf growls at her. A sharp whistle and the wolf turns into a docile creature again, turning on its feet to dart back to its master. A huntress smiles as she leans down to greet the wolf, petting it as encouragement for doing its job._

 

_Kassandra grumbles and puts her head back against the ground with a heavy sigh, but she only gets a moment of relief. Hands grab her arms and lift her to her feet, the back of two of the spears slam into the back of her knees, forcing her to the ground. The hands on her arms pull her arms behind her back, a rough rope is wrapped around her wrists, a tight knot and then the hands move to grab her weapons._

 

_She goes to argue for a moment but then a fist connects to her jaw and her helmet flies off. She groans in pain but takes a breath before getting angry. The women step away from her, two still at her side with spears in her face. The ones with her weapons join the group who has stepped away, each one inspects the weapons and a few motion behind them to Kassandra. She can hear the mumblings of what they should do, a few just want to kill her and be done with it, another says to give her to Kleio, two of them mention Daphnae. It takes all of Kassandra’s willpower to not show any emotion at Daphnae’s name._

 

_Eventually, two of them run off down the hill, rushing away from the group. The rest of the women stand around Kassandra, pacing back and forth. The two who ran off come back with a third. The third is accompanied by a large brown bear who is slowly treading behind them. Her armor is standard but her headpiece is a thin crown with stars carved in the gold, head huntress, Kleio._

 

_Kleio comes to a stop as soon as she sees Kassandra, her jaw stiffens and she slowly approaches. She crouches down once she’s a foot from Kassandra. Kleio’s eyes inspect Kassandra silently, not an ounce of emotion is given away except genuine curiosity._

 

_“The post,” Kleio announces and the women around her move into action._

 

So, Kassandra knows exactly how she got into this situation. She simply wishes she had the foresight to realize she shouldn’t have taken the job in the first place. She closes her eyes as she accepts that she was absolutely blinded by the smallest possibility of seeing her again. Her ears tune into the small _pitter patter_ of the rain beating down on the hut, into the soothing sound of horses clopping outside in the mud, of the wolves of the Daughters howling to their goddess in the moon.

 

Her hair has become matted from the rain that started as soon as Kleio gave her her sentence as if Zeus himself was disappointed in her. Since then it was like Zeus and Artemis were arguing in the skies above, thunder echoing whenever a creature of the wilderness would start up a call on behalf of their protector.

 

She tugs on her bonds, the rope pulled off only to be rewrapped once her hands were around a pole. Her right forearm still drips blood onto the dirt floor beneath her, the mud dirtied by her blood and her skin dirtied by the mud. She’s in possibly the most uncomfortable position she’s ever been in, on her knees, the pole between her legs and arms, digging into her back if she tries to relax.

 

It’s when the sound of horses coming to a halt, snorting and huffing in the cold of the night, that Kassandra opens her eyes to look up. She hears the sounds of two feet splashing in the water, trudging through the mud. The horses outside are walked off and the sounds of two feet stop at the entrance of the hut. Kassandra lowers her head once more, looking at the ground as the pelt is pushed aside. A breath of disbelief is taken in and released in a single moment, Kassandra can’t bear to look up and face her.

 

“Why,” Daphnae asks but it doesn’t come out as a question. It comes out as a plea, to Kassandra, to Artemis, to anyone listening. “Gods, why can’t you just listen for once? Just once.”

 

“It wasn’t my intention to get caught,” Kassandra mumbles as she stares at the same patch of dirt she’s been so fascinated by the entire time she’s been tied to the post.

 

“No, I suppose not. You can fight any beast you come upon but you can’t sneak in and out of a camp.” Daphnae finally stops pacing as she settles near a table behind Kassandra. Kassandra can hear the sounds of water being disturbed, something displacing it and then a towel being ringed out.

 

“I got,” Kassandra takes a breath, knowing exactly what she got, “distracted.”

 

The hut stays silent of voices. The sound of rain on the roof still echoes in their ears and the sound of Daphnae sifting through items becomes louder. Kassandra can see out of the corner of her vision a bowl of water being placed on her right side with a towel floating inside the water. She follows the hand that holds the bowl, now reaching for the towel, up to the arm and then shoulder then to the familiar collarbone and neck. Her eyes finally land on the familiar face that has haunted her dreams for every night since they last met.

 

“Daphnae.” She breathes out, not truly believing the sight before her.

 

Daphnae’s movements stop, her shoulders drop and her eyes flit from the water to Kassandra. “Why?”

 

“I was never going to stay away, you had to have known.” Kassandra smiles lightly.

 

Daphnae sighs and Kassandra can see the dried stream of tears on her cheeks. She struggles against her bonds to reach out and wipe the tears away, to just hold her, to love her once more. Daphnae’s breath shudders as she goes back to the water. Kassandra watches intently, every movement and every breath that Daphnae makes. Daphnae slowly rings out the towel, raising it to Kassandra’s arm. They become close enough that Kassandra’s mouth is at Daphnae’s ear, Daphnae’s own mouth at Kassandra’s ear.

 

“I miss you,” Kassandra whispers.

 

Daphnae stalls for a moment but then continues, pressing the wet towel to Kassandra’s forearm. Kassandra lets out a groan of pain, her head falls forward and her forehead rests on Daphnae’s shoulder. Her breathing deepens and quickens as Daphnae moves the towel, rings it out and gets it wet once more. Daphnae is careful not to move her shoulder, Kassandra still using it as support.

 

A part of her wonders if a kiss on the soft skin would be appropriate, probably not. She wonders if the spot under her jaw right below her ear still causes Daphnae to moan to the heavens. She wonders if Daphnae still has dreams of their nights, of their mornings, of their days. She wonders if Daphnae is haunted by the day on the hill just as she is, if the decision breaks her heart like it breaks Kassandra’s.

 

Her breath ghosts over Daphnae’s skin as she lifts her forehead a bit, “Your wolves put up a good fight.”

 

“Leto is alpha to the pack of this village. She did not like you entering her home without permission.” Daphnae’s face stays stern.

 

Kassandra leans her head against Daphnae. Daphnae removes the towel, setting it into the bowl. For once she breaks, Daphnae leans against Kassandra and when she shifts forward their foreheads press against each other. Daphnae and Kassandra’s lips are inches from each other and Kassandra just wants to feel her once more, to just show Daphnae her love. If words won’t do, actions might.

 

“I can’t, Kassandra.” Her voice is soft, broken.

 

“Daphnae. I found my family. Sometimes the things lost, the things we think we can never have, are the things we need.” Kassandra breathes out. She prays to every god to let her break from these ropes, to just hold Daphnae.

 

Daphnae lifts her hand up, cupping Kassandra’s cheeks and brushing her thumb over Kassandra’s cheekbone. “I swore an oath.”

 

Kassandra’s heart broke again. “Does this oath keep you from loving? Did Artemis take your heart when you swore this oath? Were you forbidden to love?”

 

“I have the Daughters, my sisters, to take care of.” Daphnae’s eyes start to flood with tears.

 

Kassandra lightly shakes her head, not moving her forehead from Daphnae’s. “I would never take you from them. But Daphnae, I cannot live with a broken heart. When I am home I feel like a piece of me is missing. When I’m on the sea, I feel as if the compass no longer points North. It’s no longer drawn to a direction but to you. I got distracted today because I saw your name. Not you. Just your name. I am torn.”

 

“Kassandra, you cannot know how hard this is for me. You have not left my thoughts since the day on the hill.” Daphnae leans in ever closer, their lips nearly touching.

 

“Nor have you left mine.” Kassandra pulls as far forward as she can, to kiss Daphnae.

 

She presses her lips to Daphnae’s, the soft line of her lips which taste like smoke and wood. Daphnae’s scent floods her nose, the scent of falling leaves and the rising sun. Her lips as intricate as the rivers of the wilderness, rippling and effervescent. Daphnae puts more pressure in the kiss as if the softness means one of them isn’t there, like she needs to feel Kassandra for this to be real. Daphnae’s fingers weave themselves into Kassandra’s matted hair, pushing Kassandra closer.

 

As soon as Kassandra opens her mouth, to make the kiss more, to be closer to Daphnae; Daphnae pulls away. Daphnae’s free hand, the one Kassandra had lost track of, slips into Kassandra’s bound hands. A hilt of a familiar spear finds itself settled between her hands.

 

“This will be the last time we see each other. Promise me that Kassandra. I cannot be pulled in two, you will leave through the tent after me and go east. A horse is waiting with your gear. Leave. Promise me.” Daphnae’s voice has turned harsh and Kassandra can feel the knives she’s trying to dig between the two of them.

 

“I can not. I know no direction but to you.” Kassandra whispers.

 

Daphnae shakes her head, fully pulling away from Kassandra and standing back up. “Then I am east and you will go there. And you will not come back.”

 

“Daphnae.” Daphnae gets up as Kassandra shouts. “Daphnae!” She leaves the hut, going back into the rain. “Daphnae!”

 

Her last shout is louder than the rest but it’s still quiet compared to the thunder that cracks and breaks through the sky at the same time as her shout. Kassandra lowers her head once more, looking to the ground. The spear in her hand falls to the floor as she drops it, letting it sink into the mud beneath her.

 

She leans back against the pole in the most comfortable way she can, her head slams back against the wooden pole with anger. Her eyes close with frustration and exhaustion. She’s nearly asleep when a familiar growl approaches the hut.

 

Leto walks in, jaw clean of Kassandra’s blood and behind her is the familiar face of the lead huntress. “I know what she’s given you. You can’t leave.”

 

Kassandra sighs. “I already dropped the spear. There’s no point in leaving when my heart will just pull me here again.”

 

“You’re going to die here,” Kleio speaks up, she comes closer to Kassandra and kneels down with Leto coming to lay down by her side.

 

“Better to die close to her, than thousands of miles away without saying goodbye.” Kassandra finally admits.

 

Kleio nods her head, rubbing her chin. “We have hunters everywhere in Greece. When she requested a party so deep into Sparta, into a city, I thought something was wrong. I never imagined it was that her heart was torn.”

 

“Are you saying-”

 

“She’s never going to let anything happen to you, or your family. Five hunters are in your grand city, constantly reporting and watching. I think it makes it worse for her. Being able to protect you, but not see you.” Kleio’s features never betray her, no emotion pushes through as she speaks. “Kassandra. I’ve never seen her so happy as when you were doing her challenges, when you two were as together as you could be.”

 

“I don’t want to hurt her more than she is, but I cannot ignore how my heart aches.” Kassandra sighs, lowering her head once more with sadness lacing her words.

 

Kleio nods her head. “Those letters you saw, I could not convince her to get rid of your watch or for her to admit that she can have both. The rest of the Daughters have been told to leave you be and I’ve retrieved your things. Go to her. Tell her we are okay with this, just help her Kassandra.”

 

Kassandra stays still as Kleio stands, untying the bonds and picking up the spear only to wipe it off. Kleio hands Kassandra her bow, quiver, blades and the spear; waiting for Kassandra to put everything back in order before she heads for the door of the hut.

 

“And Kassandra. She is my sister, you hurt her. I’ll kill you, and not even your spear will save you.” Kleio finally leaves.

 

Leto stares up at Kassandra and Kassandra looks down at her. Kassandra shrugs and Leto simply stands up and jogs after Kleio. She takes a deep breath and starts brushing the mud and dirt from her armor before she leaves the hut. Outside, the hunters guarding the hut look down at her before nodding their heads and going back to their business. She heads down through the village. A few of the hunters look at her before they nod their heads and look away. She goes in and around the huts, finally finding Daphnae’s black horse and going to the horse’s side. She pats his hind a bit, earning a toss of the head. She presses forward, entering the small hut secluded from the village.

 

“Kleio, no. I can’t do this again.” Daphnae sits on her bed, her head in her hands, hands covering her vision.

 

Kassandra stays silent as she approaches, kneeling down in front of her. She lets her hands slide onto Daphnae’s thighs, putting the barest of pressure on Daphnae.

 

“Kassandra.” Daphnae looks up with shock on her face.

 

Kassandra can’t help but smile. “I’m glad you haven’t forgotten what I felt like.”

 

“I could never. Your touches are ghosts on my skin.” Daphnae’s hands rub over Kassandra’s hand on her thigh.

 

“I wish my memory did not haunt you.” Kassandra leans forward to press her forehead with Daphnae.

 

“It’s a haunting I happily accept.” Daphnae sighs heavily.

 

Kassandra leans forward, having Daphnae lean backward. Her hands turn over and she intertwines her hands with Daphnae. Kassandra kisses her firmly as she stands up, straddling Daphnae’s lap and pushing her onto the bed. Daphnae lets out a soft moan as Kassandra opens her mouth, putting all her feelings from their time apart into the kiss.

 

Daphnae breathes out Kassandra’s name as Kassandra starts to kiss down Daphnae’s neck. Kassandra slips her hands from Daphnae’s and runs her hands up Daphnae’s arm before one hand slips to Daphnae’s neck, her thumb rubs at the extended muscles as she kisses Daphnae’s neck. Kassandra’s other hand starts to rub at Daphnae’s hip, running up to her abdomen.

 

“Kassandra, wait.” Daphnae finally breathes out.

 

Kassandra lifts her head from Daphnae’s neck. She sets her forehead on the furs, breathing deeply as Daphnae moves her hands to hold Kassandra in her arms. One hand runs up to Kassandra’s hair while the other holds her shoulder.

 

“We can’t. I can’t.” Daphnae whispers to Kassandra’s ear.

 

Kassandra slams one hand into the bed. At the feeling of Daphnae startling, she takes a breath. “I’m sorry Daphnae. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get angry. Daphnae, I’m not losing you. Not again.”

 

“Kassandra I want nothing more than for us to run away and live out our days but I took an oath.” Daphnae presses a soft chaste kiss to Kassandra’s cheek.

 

Kassandra finally looks up from the furs, looking to Daphnae. “I don’t want to tear you from your oath Daphnae. I want you. Daughters and all. I’ll never force you to choose me above anything. I just want you. Under the stars and moon and sun, under every god and priest, I love you. Artemis does not keep her Daughters from loving others, surely?”

 

“No, love is encouraged.” Daphnae lets her hand from Kassandra’s shoulder run up to her cheek.

 

“Then let me love you.” Kassandra tries to speak through her eyes, pouring all her love into the way she looks at Daphnae’s eyes.

 

Daphnae drops her hand to Kassandra’s cheek to her chest, right over her heart. Daphnae just holds her hand there, pushing a bit on Kassandra’s armor to feel closer. “My sisters-”

 

“Don’t care. They want you to be happy.” Kassandra strokes Daphnae’s neck.

 

Daphnae looks up to Kassandra, “Then stay.”

 

Kassandra felt her heart rip all over again. She would, in a heartbeat, she would stay for Daphnae. But her family is at home, waiting for her. Barnabas, Herodotos and the crew are waiting. She could have them visit in Chios, not her pater or brothers. She would never get to see them again.

 

“Not forever.” Daphnae gives her a soft smile. “Just for a time, let me figure out how to do both. Let me try.”

 

Kassandra smiles, the eventuality of Daphnae coming to Sparta, meeting her brothers, meeting Myrrine and Nikolaos warms her heart. “For you, anything.”

 

Kassandra rolls to the side, pulling Daphnae into her arms, holding her close as they work to get the furs over them without letting go. Outside Zeus seems to be calmed by the outcome, the storm rolling over to reveal the moon shining high in the middle of the night. Kassandra holds Daphnae close to her heart, never letting go again.

 

**Author's Note:**

> im on tumblr [@canaries](http://canaries.tumblr.com)


End file.
